Manchester will host one of the sporting highlights of 2013 when Old Trafford hosts the Rugby League World Cup final.

As sports fans move on from the excitement of 2012, I know people are wondering what will be the sporting highlights of 2013.

Well, one of them will take place right here in Manchester when Old Trafford hosts the Rugby League World Cup final on November 30.

The competition will be the next major international sporting event in the UK since the London Olympics and Paralympics.

And the 14-nation tournament will include some great matches across the North West in the autumn, with a chance to see Australia in St Helens and New Zealand in Warrington.

If you have never been to a rugby league match, this is a unique chance to see the best players in the world on your doorstep.

The RFL have established a base at MediaCityUK in Salford Quays, where the detailed planning for the World Cup is taking place.

Like London 2012, the World Cup will have teams of volunteers at all the venues and there has been interest from all over the country to be involved, many inspired by the Olympics.

People have written to us from all over the country to be part of it – including far from traditional rugby league territory. A couple from Suffolk, for instance, said that while they did not know much about rugby league and had never been to a game, they wanted to be part of the next great sporting event in the UK.

I well remember the spirit the volunteers helped to create during the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002 and I am sure that all the matches in the North West will have a wonderful, family-friendly atmosphere.

Before that we have the start of a new Super League and Championships seasons to look forward to.

I am very pleased to see that, after all the recent uncertainty – which M.E.N. Sport has been keeping readers updated on – the future for Salford Reds looks as if it will be successfully resolved, with a new owner secured and exciting new plans for the future.

I know RFL chief executive Nigel Wood and his team have worked tirelessly with all the partners involved to find a solution. And it is really encouraging for fans, players and everyone who cares about rugby league to see the situation heading towards a positive conclusion.

I believe the Salford City Stadium can be a model for successful ground-sharing for rugby and stage future international matches, following the successful Autumn International Series final held there in November.

The Championships have a major new-look for the 2013 season.

Leigh and Swinton will compete in the Championship, while Oldham and Rochdale take part in Championship One, which will also feature new clubs from Gloucester, Hemel Hempstead, and Oxford – marking a dramatic change in the geographic spread of the game.

Just a few years ago you would have given me a very odd look if I said Rochdale and Oldham would be playing against the backdrop of Oxford college spires in the famous Iffley Road ground, where Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four minute mile.

During the close season, the RFL took a considered look at the shoulder charge rule and decided, on balance, to retain it for the coming season. It is an interesting talking point as the NRL in Australia have decided to go for an immediate ban.

Many fans and players here expressed a view that an immediate ban was not the right way to go and that further consultation should take place with the international federation before making any changes.

With winter having arrived with a vengeance in the last week, it is also worth noting that all levels of rugby league made the move to a summer calendar in 2012, ending over 100 years of playing in the worst months of winter. This was a major change for the governing body to implement and last week the RFL released information from an in-depth survey of the 2012 season.

This showed community clubs in our region – like Latchford Albion, near Warrington and Haresfinch, near St Helens – were among those finding benefits in both playing and training conditions, as well as an ability to recruit more players.

I think, especially for parents and children taking part at youth and junior level, the switch will encourage more participation and retention of players, which can be an important part of the national sporting legacy from the 2012 Olympics everyone involved in sport wants to see.

So, 2013 certainly promises to be an extraordinary year for rugby league, at the end of which I hope to be on my feet at Old Trafford to see England lift the World Cup.

:: See www.rlwc2013.com for all information about the Rugby League World Cup – including how to buy tickets for the final at Old Trafford and other games in the North West.

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